The Future of Education

Equipping students with sustainability competencies and digital collaboration skills is a critical requirement in 21st-century education. Challenge-Based Learning (CBL), grounded in experiential learning theory (Kolb, 1984), offers a promising pedagogical framework to prepare learners for real-world complexity through active engagement and problem-solving (Gallagher & Savage, 2020). The ENNEPlus Erasmus+ project (2024–2027) builds on this foundation by developing and implementing the Eco-Digithon: a digital, challenge-based hackathon model for Vocational Education and Training (VET). Participants are engaged in interdisciplinary teams to co-develop digital solutions addressing community-specific environmental challenges aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In its first edition (2024-2025), the Eco-Digithon involved 31 VET institutions, from them involved students and educators across Austria, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. The initiative included the co-creation of #10 CBL scenarios and a ENNEPlus Methodological Toolkit for implementation in local and transnational learning contexts. The project also fostered collaboration and knowledge exchange through a dedicated Community of Practice Platform - CoP.

To evaluate the impact of this initiative, a mixed-methods case study design was employed (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2018), integrating pre- and post-event surveys, teacher reflections, and student interviews. The ENNEPlus team also developed ten CBL scenarios and a methodological toolkit, used across all sites to ensure instructional consistency. A qualitative content analysis approach (Mayring, 2014) was employed to explore participant experiences, pedagogical processes, and institutional dynamics in depth.

his contribution will present the research design, theoretical framework, and key methodological components of the ENNEPlus case study. I will also represent and discuss selected empirical findings—focusing on how participation in structured challenge-based learning experiences supports the development of sustainability competencies and digital collaboration skills among VET learners. The study is situated within broader European education policy contexts, including the Digital Education Action Plan and the European Green Deal, and contributes to ongoing discourse on inclusion, green transition, and innovation in VET systems.

Keywords: Challenge-Based Learning, Eco-Digithon, Sustainability Education, Vocational Training, Digital Collaboration, Mixed-Methods Research

REFERENCES

[1] Apple Inc. (2009). Challenge-Based Learning: A Classroom Guide. Cupertino, CA.

[2] Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Prentice-Hall.
[3] Gallagher, S., & Savage, T. (2020). Challenge-Based Learning in Higher Education: An Exploratory Literature Review. Teaching in Higher Education, 28(5), 1135–1157.
[4] Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2018). Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
[5] Mayring, P. (2014). Qualitative Content Analysis: Theoretical Foundation, Basic Procedures and Software Solution. Klagenfurt: Beltz.
[6] ENNEPlus Consortium. (2025). Eco-Digithon Toolkit and Case Study Report. Erasmus+ Internal Project Publication.